First serological evidence of infections with selected vector-borne pathogens in dogs in Kosovo
Abstract
Canine vector-borne pathogens are a group of widespread microorganisms and nematodes transmitted by arthropods that do not only impact dog health but may also pose a health risk to humans as many of them are zoonotic. As no data exist on the presence of canine vector-borne pathogens in Kosovo, we here present a first study on the seroprevalence of selected vector-borne pathogens, the dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis and the bacteria Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. The study was carried out from July to October 2019 in all regions of Kosovo and included 149 clinically healthy dogs (84 owned, 40 sheltered and 25 free-ranging). Blood samples collected from each individual were tested using a commercially available rapid multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In total, 37.6% of the examined dogs were seropositive for one or more of the target pathogens. Most frequently, antibodies were found against Anaplasma spp. (24.8% of the dogs tested), followed by antigen detection of D. immitis (14.8%) and antibodies of B. burgdorferi s.l. (1.3%). The lowest antibody prevalence (0.7%) showed E. canis where only one dog was found positive. This preliminary study demonstrates the circulation of several zoonotic vector-borne pathogens in natural cycles involving dogs in Kosovo. It should trigger studies on infection prevalences in humans and initiate vector surveillance programmes in order to manage and control transmission and the diseases associated with the pathogens.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, presence of D. immitis is reported for the first time, showing overall prevalence of 1.89% in Bosnia-Podriuje canton (southern country), 0.93% for owned dogs and 2.86% for stray dogs.
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the presence of D. immitis is reported for the first time, showing an overall prevalence of 1.89% in the region of the Bosnia-Podriuje canton (southern country), the prevalence being 0.93% for owned dogs and 2.86% for stray dogs [73].”
From What has happened to heartworm disease in Europe in the last 10 years? (2022) · cites this paper as [73]
Cites
Lozano, R., Naghavi, M., Foreman, K., Lim, S., Shibuya, K., Aboyans, V., Abraham, J., Adair, T., Aggarwal, R., Ahn, S. Y., et al. (2012) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(12)61728-0 · Cited by 14,070 · see citing works
Ticks and tick-borne diseases: a one health perspective
Dantas-Torres, F., Chomel, B. B., & Otranto, D. (2012) · Trends in Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.pt.2012.07.003 · Cited by 1,159 · see citing works
Human and animal dirofilariasis: The emergence of a zoonotic mosaic
Simón, F., Siles-Lucas, M., Morchón, R., González-Miguel, J., Mellado, I., Carretón, E., & Montoya-Alonso, J. A. (2012) · Clinical Microbiology Reviews · doi:10.1128/cmr.00012-12 · Cited by 834 · see citing works
Guideline for veterinary practitioners on canine ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in Europe
Sainz, Á., Roura, X., Miró, G., Estrada-Peña, A., Kohn, B., Harrus, S., & Solano-Gallego, L. (2015) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0649-0 · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Emerging arthropod borne diseases of companion animals in Europe
Beugnet, F., & Marié, J.-L. (2009) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.03.028 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Managing canine vector-borne diseases of zoonotic concern: part one
Otranto, D., Dantas‐Torres, F., & Breitschwerdt, E. B. (2009) · Trends in Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.pt.2009.01.003 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Managing canine vector-borne diseases of zoonotic concern: part two
Otranto, D., Dantas‐Torres, F., & Breitschwerdt, E. B. (2009) · Trends in Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.pt.2009.02.005 · Cited by 295 · see citing works
The increasing recognition of rickettsial pathogens in dogs and people
Nicholson, W. L., Allen, K. E., McQuiston, J. H., Breitschwerdt, E. B., & Little, S. E. (2010) · Trends in Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.pt.2010.01.007 · Cited by 251 · see citing works
Epidemiology of Lyme Borreliosis
lek, Z. H. A. (2009) · Current problems in dermatology · doi:10.1159/000213069 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Mircean, V., Dumitrache, M. O., Györke, A., Pantchev, N., Jodies, R., Mihalca, A. D., & Cozma, V. (2012) · Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases · doi:10.1089/vbz.2011.0915 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Impact of climate change in the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases in domestic carnivores
Beugnet, F., & Chalvet-Monfray, K. (2013) · Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.cimid.2013.07.003 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Comparison of serological and molecular panels for diagnosis of vector-borne diseases in dogs
Maggi, R. G., Birkenheuer, A. J., Hegarty, B. C., et al. (2014) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-127 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Pantchev, N., Schnyder, M., Vrhovec, M. G., Schaper, R., & Tsachev, I. (2015) · Parasitology Research · doi:10.1007/s00436-015-4518-8 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
The immunopathology of canine vector-borne diseases
Day, M. J. (2011) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-4-48 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Prevalence and risk factors for selected canine vector-borne diseases in Greece
Angelou, A., Gelasakis, A. I., Verde, N., Pantchev, N., Schaper, R., Chandrashekar, R., & Papadopoulos, E. (2019) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3543-3 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
First isolation and molecular characterization of Ehrlichia canis in Spain
Aguirre, E., Sainz, Á., Dunner, S., et al. (2004) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.08.007 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Hamel, D., Silaghi, C., Knaus, M., Visser, M., Kusi, I., Rapti, D., Rehbein, S., & Pfister, K. (2009) · Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · doi:10.1007/s00508-009-1234-3 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Hamel, D., Shukullari, E., Rapti, D., Silaghi, C., Pfister, K., & Rehbein, S. (2016) · Parasitology Research · doi:10.1007/s00436-015-4765-8 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Lazri, T., Duscher, G., Edelhofer, R., Bytyci, B., Gjino, P., & Joachim, A. (2008) · Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · doi:10.1007/s00508-008-1076-4 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases – Incidence through Vectors
Savić, S., Vidić, B., Grgić, Z., Potkonjak, A., & Spasojevic, L. (2014) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2014.00267 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Sherifi, K., Rexhepi, A., Bërxholi, K., et al. (2018) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2018.00038 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citationSurvey of selected tick-borne diseases in dogs in Finland
Vera, C. P., Kapiainen, S., Junnikkala, S., Aaltonen, K., Spillmann, T., & Vapalahti, O. P. (2014) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-285 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Seroprevalence of vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Croatia
Jurković, D., Beck, A., Huber, D., Mihaljević, Ž., Polkinghorne, A., Martinković, F., Lukačević, D., Pilat, M., Brezak, R., Bosnić, S., et al. (2019) · Parasitology Research · doi:10.1007/s00436-018-6129-7 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Montenegro, V. M., Bonilla, M. C., Kaminsky, D., Zúñiga, J. J. R., Siebert, S., & Krämer, F. (2017) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.02.009 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
From stillness to motion: 80 years after the first description of Taenia solium oncosphere hatching
Mendlovic, F., Garza-Rodríguez, A., Carrillo‐Farga, J., et al. (2014) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-12 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
The composition, diversity, and distribution of mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) in Kosovo
Muja‐Bajraktari, N., Zhushi‐Etemi, F., Dikolli‐Velo, E., et al. (2019) · Journal of Vector Ecology · doi:10.1111/jvec.12333 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
What has happened to heartworm disease in Europe in the last 10 years?
Morchón, R., Montoya-Alonso, J. A., Rodríguez-Escolar, I., & Carretón, E. (2022) · Pathogens · doi:10.3390/pathogens11091042 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
- Authors
- Sinani, A., Aliu, H., Latifi, F., Haziri, I., Xhekaj, B., Kampen, H., & Sherifi, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Prishtina (XK)
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Aliu, Hamdi
- Venue
- Parasitology Research
- Published
- 2020-09-24
- Volume
- 119
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 3863-3868
- ISSN
- 0044-3255 (ISSN-L)
- 0932-0113
- 1432-1955
- OpenAlex
- W3088223193
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 0.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Parasitology Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- OpenAgrar (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Bartonella species infections research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Keywords
- seroprevalence, Dirofilaria immitis, canine heartworm disease, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, zoonoses, dogs, Kosovo, free-roaming dogs, shelter dogs, vector surveillance
- MeSH terms
- Anaplasma, Anaplasmosis, Animals, Antibodies, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Disease Vectors, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Ehrlichia, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Lyme Disease, Male, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Ehrlichiosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Kosovo
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
